Catholic Culture
Christmas: December 29th
Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas; Optional Memorial of St. Thomas Becket, bishop and martyr
MASS READINGS
December 29, 2015 (Readings on USCCB website)
COLLECT PRAYER
O God, who gave the Martyr Saint Thomas Becket the courage to give up his life for the sake of justice, grant, through his intercession, that, renouncing our life for the sake of Christ in this world, we may find it in heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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Recipes (1)
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Activities (11)
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Prayers (9)
- Christmas Morning Prayers
- Christmas Evening Prayers
- Christmas Table Blessing 1
- Christmas Table Blessing 2
- Christmas Table Blessing 3
- Christmas Table Blessing 4
- Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Christmas Season (2nd Plan)
- Prayer for St. Thomas a Becket
- Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Christmas (1st Plan)
Old Calendar: St. Thomas of Canterbury
Today is the fifth day in the octave of Christmas. The Church celebrates the optional memorial of St. Thomas Becket, bishop and martyr. He was born in London and after studying in Paris, he first became chancellor to the king and then in 1162 was chosen Archbishop of Canterbury. He went from being "a patron of play-actors and a follower of hounds" to being a "shepherd of souls." He absorbed himself in the duties of his new office, defending the rights of the Church against Henry II. This prompted the king to exile him to France for six years. After returning to his homeland he endured many trials and was murdered by agents of the king.
The Fifth Day of Christmas
St. Thomas Becket (also known as St. Thomas of Canterbury)
Thomas Becket was born in 1118 of a merchant family. He studied in London and Paris, entered the service of Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury, became Lord Chancellor under King Henry II in 1155, and in 1162 Archbishop of Canterbury. Till then a submissive courtier, he now initiated a fearless struggle against the king for the freedom of the Church and the inviolability of ecclesiastical property, occasioning his imprisonment, exile, and finally martyrdom (December 29, 1170). Canonization came quickly (1173); in 1539 King Henry VIII ordered his remains burned.
Formerly the Breviary included this summary of the saint's last days: "Calumniators informed the king that the bishop was agitating against him and the peace of the realm; and the king retorted that with one such priest he could not live in peace. Hearing the royal displeasure, several godless courtiers agreed to do their sovereign a favor by assassinating Thomas. Secretly they traveled to Canterbury and fell upon the bishop while he was attending Vespers. His priests rushed to his aid and tried to bar the church door; Thomas opened it himself with these words: The house of God may not be defended like a fortress. I gladly face death for the Church of God. Then to the soldiers: I command it in the Name of God: No harm may be done to any of mine. Thereupon he cast himself on his knees, commended his flock and himself to God, to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to St. Denis and other holy patrons of his church, and with the same heroic courage with which he had withstood the king's laws, he bowed his holy head to the sacrilegious sword on December 29, 1170."
With all the strength that is given us for the defense of God's rights, we must resist those who seek to subject the Church to their power, even if they are those to whom on other grounds we owe service. In St. Thomas of Canterbury the Church celebrates one of her great bishops; by applying to him the Gospel of the Good Shepherd she venerates in him the true pastor of Christ's flock who gave his life for his sheep.
Patron: Clergy; secular clergy; Exeter College Oxford; Portsmouth, England.
Symbols: Sword through a mitre; pallium and archbishop's cross; battle axe and crosier; red chasuble; altar and sword.
Often Portrayed As: Archbishop with a wounded head; archbishop holding an inverted sword; archbishop kneeling before his murderers; archbishop being murdered in church.
Things to Do:
- Read more about this historical event. For some web sources see The Murder of Thomas Becket, 1170, and more information on Henry II. Watch this You Tube video of Canterbury Cathedral.
- Some wonderful literature is based on this saint. Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (1342 - 1400) follows a group of 30 pilgrims traveling to the Canterbury Cathedral, the pilgrimage spot of St. Thomas Becket. T. S. Eliot wrote a play called Murder in the Cathedral based on St. Thomas' murder.
The Word Among Us
Meditation: 1 John 2:3-11
5th Day within the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord
Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness. (1 John 2:9)
When was the last time your heart got a good spring cleaning? Think about it now: is there anything you’ve let sit around for too long? Old hurts, perhaps, or jealousies or grievances? We might not even realize they are there. Taken individually, they might be so small or inconsequential as to not even be worth rejecting. Could they really hold us back from God? Yes! If we aren’t careful, these little annoyances can accumulate over time, until they become nearly insurmountable.
As today’s passage says, when we hate our brother, we are still in darkness. This is strong language, and at first we might not think it applies to us. It’s quite possible when you examine your heart you won’t find that you hate anyone. But every little thing that we allow to remain in our hearts that isn’t of God can have an effect on us. We might not be in darkness, but we certainly might find ourselves in the shade!
God wants us to live in the light of his love and grace. He knows that when we bask in his power—when the obstacles are cleared away—we grow. Like plants that thrive in sunlight, we become spiritually tall and strong as we reach towards the heavens. He wants us to be visible to all around us, living examples of what his grace can accomplish if given a clear path to our hearts.
We’re coming to the end of another year. Now is the perfect time to clear away some of the things that are hindering the work that God is doing in us, even the small ones that we don’t usually pay attention to. Let’s open ourselves to his healing and empowering light. Is anything really worth holding onto if we can exchange it for a little more of his mercy? If you can’t think of anything, you can ask him to show you what you can let go of. There’s always room for more growth!
“Lord, thank you for your constant light shining down from above and filling me with grace. Help me to identify things that keep me in the shade so that I can put them aside permanently. Jesus, come and fill me!”
Psalm 96:1-3, 5-6
Luke 2:22-35
Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us PartDaily Marriage Tip for December 29, 2015:
It's still a good time for a Christmas movie. Both "It’s a Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Carol" have family themes that can lead to good discussion afterwards. Or try a new movie -- check out the list on the USCCB website.
Homily of the DayDecember 29, 2015
The Law of Moses prescribed that “every firstborn to leave the womb among the sons of Israel, whether of man or beast”(Ex 13:1) is the Lord’s to “remind them of the power of Yahweh which brought them out of Egypt.” (Ex 13:16) A firstborn son may be redeemed by the offering of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
Simeon was assured by God “he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord”: “Here is the light you will reveal to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”
The Child Jesus is presented to his Father as Mary’s firstborn and is redeemed, following the law of Moses. The Child Jesus is acknowledged by Simeon and given to us as our salvation and the light of the nations.
With Mary let us treasure God’s loving graciousness and continually ponder over them. With the shepherds at his birth and the prophetess Anna at the Temple, let us give glory to God for all we have heard and seen. (Lk 2:20, 38)
